Three Newcastle Players Included In French Sqaud

The French National team manager Didier Deschamps has just named his latest squad to play Germany on February 6th, and it includes three Newcastle players – but in the months ahead we could well see more French players from Newcastle called up for the French squad.

Moussa Sissoko included in France squad
The three Newcastle players called up are Yohan Cabaye, his best pal Mathieu Debuchy and midfield powerhouse Moussa Sissoko, but unfortunately there isn’t a place (yet) for Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa – and Ben Arfa is still out injured, although Deschamps probably will never include him in a French squad given their history when both were at Marseilles.

And it’s interesting that in Deschamps’ press conference he had to field questions about Newcastle United from the French reporters.

Here are two questions about Newcastle and Deschamps’ answers today:

Q1 – What do you think of the 21st League 1 club at Newcastle, ‘Chateau Neuf’, with 11 French players there?

“I am not the coach of Newcastle, it can lead to lots of interpretations but why not? What concerns me the most is that the ones wearing the international shirt have lots of playing time on the pitch.”

Q2 – Are you concerned that some of the top players are leaving Ligue 1?

“It is their choice, it is not good to see League 1 lose top players but apart from PSG all French clubs need to sell and English clubs have the money.” “I am not worried, they are free to choose the county they wish to play in.”

“As long as they have the time on the pitch and are performing. Yes they are taking a risk because of the change of culture and the language but they need to have time on the pitch”.

It’s obvious that Newcastle are becoming very important to the French National team, and we’ll probably see a lot more French reporters at our games from now on.

BTW, I think Deschamps is a dick. Considering he actually played here himself why does he not seem a little more positive, like focussing on the fact that the French lads will improve by playing in one of the best leagues in the world, against some excellent opposition.

Just my opinion Torque, dont trust any ITK’s after being sucked in myself. Usually they are from rival teams looking for attention and take great pleasure revealing themselves shortly after the window is closed…maybe you are different

@ Unbelievable Tekkers – I only briefly played a bit of FM13 just to see what it was like, but then went back to my FM11 game where I’m in 2028 lol. Moussa Sissoko went to Valencia on my FM11 game for something like £20m and was nominated for the Ballon d’Or and World Player of the Year basically every year until he was about 33.

@Ben_BKK I tried getting Mbiwa they wanted £25m, scouted some very good potential players worth £9k they want £16m lol. I sacked most of our staff because the players kept on getting injured and John Carver recommended me to play long hoof ball hes gone as well.

Ben – 2028 lol that’s commitment…i usually get bored after a few seasons and give up. I’m looking forward to Fifa 14 when the clowns at EA realise that Sissoko is better than a 75. Cabaye’s rating needs to go up a bit as well.

Looks like we are done lads. I’m happy great window and only Ba out of the purples. Mf has plenty of goals hba, sissoko, cabaye, marveux,
Gouffran will surprise us and maybe campbell will be the pacey st we need.
Optimism. .

@UT – I’m surprised I’m not bored now lol I’ve won the league every year since about 2013, won the Champs League like 10 years in a row, etc. Had Newcastle build a new 78k capacity stadium which they named after me I’ve been trying to get a son, which can happen, but no luck yet. But yeah I’m just waiting for the update to FM13 to start on that.

Is Sissoko seriously only 75 on FIFA?? They seriously underrate a lot of players apart from the ‘big’/famous players, or ones that play in England. It’s annoying.

Unbelievable tekkers
Mate Fifa hate us! They always underate our players, i remember a couple back enrique n carroll were rated at like 73 and 70 until they signed for the bindippers then they were both in the 80’s!!

We’ve been told no more signings and on the whole it’s been a great window for us but Ba’s going to be a big miss imo and hasn’t really been replaced. It’s a gamble but if the right player wasn’t available then fair enough.

Cisse will hopefully continue to score lots and Gouffron will contibute too and I can see more goals from mf aswell.
If we rely on Shola then we’ll be stuffed.
Considering we’re still in Europe I’d have expected another forward in tbh.

Ben – lol that made me laugh waiting for a son. Yeah Fifa does some stupid ratings at times. They have sissoko at 75 cabaye at 81 and M’vila at 82? They also have Messi at 96 and Ronaldo at only 93. I think Messi is better but not by that much.

TADS – yeah we’re always underrated, whereas players at the big clubs are always rated really highly. It’s only the most recent FIFA where our players are starting to get recognition, Cabaye, HBA, Cisse and Ba were all in 80s iirc, I think Colo is too.

As much as I wouldn’t have minded Danny Graham for a stop gap is he really any better than Leon Best, so to have sold one second rate striker for 3M to buy another for 5, wouldn’t have made much sense.

UT – it’s possible mate, after like 15 or so seasons there’s a chance you get a son that turns up in your youth team when you announce the new intake, he has the same last name as you (not as obvious if you have a common name lol) and has you as favoured personnel. It’s the last achievement I need on FM

Torq,
This is why I’m never quite happy with the regime, I was so happy when Best went only for the reason that I thought an upgrade was being brought in now we have shipped three strikers, one of them a leading Prem striker and brought one in, not going to let it overshadow an excellent window but its just quite baffling, unless of course we’re going to see a lot of Adam Campbell.

@MacToon
AP have been on about Campbell getting more shots now towards the end of the season. Hopefully he’ll hit the ground running and add to the goal tally?
May be too much to expect ofc, but you never know. The kids got talent coming out his arse.

Your Info has been so accurate this window maybe folk’s watching, that write for a living ! looking for scoop’s etc … In fact betting on transfer’s on your info ! Throw the odd Red Herring out see if it makes the Sun !

We haven’t replaced Ba like. If Cisse gets injured, Shola will play. Gouffran will be 3rd in line, in my opinion. We’ve got rid of 3 strikers in six months, and brought in one Striker/winger to replace them.

Poor business on the striker front, but the rest has been good business.

again isn’t gouffran a striker who has a recent record of a just over two games per goal. im not saying he’s ba’s replacement. we could still do with another striker but for now pardew has cisse, gouffran and shola (who he clearly rates) as his first 3 choices and as 4th and 5th choice (backup that’s unlikely to be used). im sure pardew won’t be 100% happy with this and wants another front man but sees his choices as adequate until summer.

I was hoping Campbell might go out on loan tbh, he’s at that age where he could do with some competitive experience rather than just playing in the U21s and occasionally being in the matchday squad. I reckon with Shola and Gouffran as well as Cisse now we should be alright up front, at least until the end of the season. I know we need better than Shola in the long run but it’s not going to happen this window and probably not next either!

If we get/have got another striker in then i’d have thought we’d have given EL a good go but I think it’s prem survival obviously first priority and probably settling in time for our new players as second.

Redknapp is going all in, but what else is he meant to do? Just meekly get relegated with the likes of Clint Hill and Shaun Derry! QPR going down is by no means a certainty now they’ve cut the gap to 4 points. It’s a huge gamble but missing out on the TV money would be worse.

Sage

You had a good idea about getting some continental / foreign coaches in alongside our existing ones to try and teach them some technical skills. Ginola and Solano would be ideal.

Just watching Sky sports ..Seems like really pathetic childish style of reporting ..like a frenzy on the News when we get a bit of Snow or the odd flood …The Girl reporting from Norwich City was acting like a market trader ..it’s all crass to watch …Had to turn it off ..was getting sucked in .

@Beattie25
No ofc, but I can’t see Gouffran starting every game, if he’s there to take up the winger spot, he’ll have Marveux and HBA to beat firstly, then Jonas(I know, but AP will have it that way).
I do see your point though.
But we’ll get goals from more areas on the pitch aswell.
It’s 14 games, we’ll manage imo.

Adam Campbell, if not sent out on loan should at the very least be used in the europa for starters, thing is wor shola as usual will be first choice for that, he wont put Campbell in before shola, AP gets on my tits most of the time i know what to expect, if he was on deal or no deal he would be the first to go at the first offer.

Sunderbland V Swansea ..And the Mackem fans are singing Geordie Scum, Geordie F’ing scum when
Danny Graham come’s on as Sub. BOOing him every time he touched the ball.. the whole game, and telling him to F**k off whole game !

tbh I think we can manage fine till the end of the season as it is looking unlikely we’re going to get any of our targets now.

All is not lost as we can play Cisse no9 and any of Gouffy, Marv, HBA, Obertan, either side and/or Sissoko, Cabs, Gouffy, HBA in the hole. Looks more like a 4-4-2 with a withdrawn ST is going to feature as often as a 4-3-3, depending on the opposition.
That’s before we even consider Strolla or Guti.

I cannot see Guti offering much in the future so lacking a LW we need to play Anita, Cabaye, Sissoko, Marveaux and Ben Arfa. That should be more than enough to keep us up and Debuchy/Santon offering us width.

My problem is Pardew. If we signed a LW i’d have faith in Pards to get it right. Without I think Jonas will be chosen and Pards will not be creative/brave.

Signing for PSG is just a publicity stunt ,,this is all driven by Satch’ & Satchi..designed to keep his name up there …and on the celebrity A-list..Each week there is a report on Beckham signing for this club or that club , training with other club’s here and there ..you might notice it’s always a glamour club he’s training with ? never Crewe or Norwich… Its all driven by S&S ..Beckham was finished as a Footballer 3 years ago . NO Prem club will touch him . You might have noticed his name in the press and most Football site’s one visits, every week there’s something..One big Publicity stunt. He’s finished and he’s Shite. He’s not a Footballer now ..just a celeb..S&S are probably paying PSG to create a fuss.. and the press conference was a farce. all one big Beckham Show ..Giving his wages to Charity ,, Think I’m gonna be sick UHGHHHHHHH !

no worries on a striker now as i’ve figured it out ^^
gosling and amalfitano will convert to strikers from now on and will be worth 35mil by the end of the season then we will sell them to liverpuds sorted

Beattie, we will be down among the dead men for most of the remainder of the season. I’m now sure we will stop up, but we will be hovering around the relegation places until the last couple of games. Endeavour and courage will be needed as will as skill to stay up.

yo-yo
Yeah we got some bodies to fill in there when healthy, just hope Pardew doesn’t bank on Shola though. He really can’t do much for us since putting him behind Cisse = hoofing it and he can’t do much as a winger.

Beckham’s wife is now calling herself a fashion designer now ..”Dwavid can we move to Pawis. I want to be a fwashion designer ” Yef Victowia.. I will pwetend Im a Fwootballer again ..When Can We Gwo there Dwavid ?
twenty eleventeen VWictoria..

Percy Panais does intend to play Shola in many of the remaining games as a target man. I find this a strange decision until I found out how Percy was going to pull this off; Check out the following link:-

How orchestrated was Danny Graham interview on sky. ‘ I have joined a massive club, and to be then asked with your home Town club showing an interest it must have been a tough decision to make? No, once I spoke to Oneil there was only one place I was going!
Didn’t know we were showing an interest! Sky sports are twats.
And as for Harry half chewed toffe face Redknap licking his chairmans arse, just so he can fleece another club, such a predictable twat. God I hope they go down

WE MUST SIGN A STRIKER , DEMBA LEFT, BEST AND MCLOVEN LEFT IN SUMMER, WE ARE SO WEAK AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EVENT OF INJURIES WITH NO COVER, YES WE SLIDE DOWN THE TABLE. TUT TUT I THOUGHT LESSONS WERE LEARNT BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT AND PEOPLE HAVE JUST JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON OF EXCITEMENT WITH THIS MONTHS DEALING, BUT WE ARE WEAKER UP TOP THAN THE START OF JAN, FACT!

I’m not so down on Beckham to be honest, considering he was public enemy no.1 at one time after his sending off for England he’s turned his career around and done alright. Ofc it’s a publicity stunt at PSG but so what in, he’s doing some good.

Saylor will play unless he’s injured again, M’Biwa will have to force himself into the side now as we have our two first choice center half’s fit an available. The reason we signed M’Biwa is simply because colo will be off come the summer and Saylor will inevitably end up on the treatment table sooner or later and we’d be left with Willo and Perch together which no one wants

Butler
Mbiwa is a full international who captained his side to a league title, taylor is a player who has never reached his potential and hasnt looked match fit all season regardless of injuries, he got beaten so many times by bentenke or mis reading the bounce of the ball vs villa it was untrue, mbiwa was available on a free in the summer theres no way he’d be bought in if it wasnt to play, pardew said were in a battle and us not affraid of upsetting the existing lads by dropping them i inderstand mbiwa not starting vs villa but we need this lad in the line up, taylor along with colo and willo have been part of the problem leaking hoals all season wheres the point in bringing in tge solution and not implementing it? Its would be like QPR leaving samba out the line up for clint hill!

Mate you are preaching to the choir mate, I know how good M’Biwa is but I also know what Pardews like, he won’t drop Saylor just like he won’t drop Jonas if Marveuax is fit and that is the biggest issue at the club, certain players play irrespective of form

LYF
As beattie said theres no place for sentiments, we’re in a dogfight taylor shouldnt get a free pass just for being english, before the window most agreed taylor was a great squad player but we needed a top CB, well now we have on and ppl want to see the lad on the bench?

The fact that Colo did everything he could to get away from us to San Lorenzo and still managed to retain the armband and a starting position should tell everyone Pardews mindset, certain players are untouchable in his eye’s

From GFN France
18:52 Belhanda Latest: Time is running out. Montpellier need someone to make a move now, so that everything can be wrapped up in time. Looking less and less likely, but still possible. We will keep you right up to date with all the latest developments on this one.

Davyb
Yeah he can play that role but nowhere near aswell as he plays CB infact most games ive seen him play there he’s looked lost
Taylor was absolutly slaughtered by benteke, he lost every ariel challenge, got constantly done for pace by benteke and just plain out nuscled, if he plays saturday im sorry but Ba will have a field day

I agree with you on Anita, with him in the side we would play far more fluent football and be a far great threat going forward, but thats not the way that Pardew thinks he’s more defensively minded and thats why Perch plays and Anita sits on the bench

I was listening to Talk Sport one morn..Harry phoned in live, Moaning and Mocking Newcastle United Because Maradona had dropped 2 Inter Milan players ..and picked 2 Newcastle players for the Argentinian Squad ..Harry said ” whats’ the world coming too?, Maradona picking 2 poor Newcastle players over 2 players from inter ..I ask You ” Newcastle SHeeeeeeeeee ! “Rubbish decision”…He hates us and will do his best to upset the club if he can..Re: revealing Demba Ba’s get out fee? At a press conference, before Spur’s played Everton ? Nothing to do with us playing Spurs that day..He orchestrated Questions that day from his tabloid press chums. It’s all filthy underhanded lowlife tactics.
Hate’s us.

We already established WHY Perch played over Anita vs. Villa, for some reason you didn’t read it.

Villa use Benteke to win the ball high up the pitch. We all know he’s a physical player and he bossed Liverpool around just a month ago and was largely why they won 3-1 @ Anfield.

You really think Anita (5’6”) would have been able to cover Benteke (6’3”)?

Villa were never going to outclass us in the midfield, so Anita’s invention was not a large sacrifice. Sissoko is better utilized going forward is well which is why he wasn’t given the job of marking Benteke.

I was amazed that Harry was on this week slating agents for their underhand tactics, this is a guy who has based his career around being underhanded, but he’s a media darling, just hope they turn their backs on him when QPR go down

Paul McCartney wont sign you an Autograph, your lucky if you get one.. he hates doing it …might seem mean but it’s for a good reason,, He does however give millions to Charity and never mention’s it. RE: Beckham.

It’s just the whole Beckham circus ..Its not all about the Charity , it’s about the Beckham’s..and the fact that Satchi & Satchi ..are paid by the Beckhams to generate publicity to keep them up there as A -list celeb’s..Its all about the Beckham’s ..Make’s me Puke .

People know only too well about what Paul McCartney does for charities, just like Beckham. Whether they say it or not, their PR team has it everywhere. Is that a bad thing really? It brings awareness for starters and any person not using their high profile for such things is probably more entitled to be called sick.

On signing autographs…not very charitable to sign a bit of paper for the people who made you famous. I’m sure it get’s boring, but come on.

Last but not least, why say he’s donating his wages from PSG…so people wouldn’t sit online and slag him for doing everything for himself…that worked well

Beattie…Maybe Anita was deemed as simply not needed with the quality we already had on the pitch? It gave us an option from the bench which was more useful if needed than say Perch. I don’t imagine for a minute that Perch will get more starts or minutes than Anita for the rest of the season, has he even to date?

Online…You are right though, his PR team do a bang up job at getting the word out there. For a man that is good at kicking a ball and a wife with, let’s be nice and say “little” talent, they have built quite an empire. If they do some good with it as well, then fair play.

@toon-prodigy,how’s it a gamble? The last two seasons we have played one forward with two supports players,we have more then enough depth,only another injury crisis would put is in the crap,cissie has hardly missed a game! Benny to come back.goufran, sylvan ameobi.and all the understudys to them,oba sammy etc,

Cannot believe that we won’t enter a late bid somewhere before anyone knows we’ve even entered the market.
Beckham is a smart signing. Elevates the club and boosts overseas profile….something our club could do with. Btw never understood the “Wonga” sponsorship as (a) not int’l co (b) they are a vile company re: pay day loans to the vulnerable.
Lastly QPR tfr dealings is an absolute disgrace to football. I feel sorry for Rangers fans as Tony Fernandez and ‘Arry are gambling with football history. It should not be allowed, why do the FA etc allow it, Its completely crazy!! They are playing with fire and could ruin the fans’ club!

1. Carroll was replaced by Ba (the window after). I know some of you thought it didn’t “count” because Ba was a free transfer, but that’s what happened.

2. Best was replaced by Cisse (the window before). I know some of you struggle with the concept that this is even possible, but that’s what happened. Cisse came last Jan and Best would have been sold then, but was injured. The club sold him at the first opportunity.

3. Lovenkrands was a “striker”? Really! I must have missed that season, because he nearly always played as LW for his last two seasons and couldn’t have started more than a couple of league games, even when we were in the Championship. He was a squad player, nothing more, and was replaced by Obertan, Fergie or probably Sammy in the minds of the clubs owners/managers. Since Lovenkrands barely played for us, they might have expected Sammy to be the same, occasionally come on as a sub late in matches and still have a season or two to develop to a higher standard. The injuries put paid to that.

The nonsense that Lovenkrands and Best should not have been sold as we still need them is well… nonsense. Best made it clear he wouldn’t stay when he would have been 3rd or even 4th choice striker, and Lovenkrands is far too old. Indeed, many questioned his age when he was originally bought. He was brought in during the Jan window in the relegation season (with Nolan and Raylor), and was old then (compared to our current buying policy). With longterm injuries to Owen and Viduka he got some starts, and 1 or 2 goals, but he was never more than a stop-gap when we were desperate. He may have even been on loan or a short-term contract, I think. When all of the big name forwards left when we went down, Hughton kept him on as backup to Carroll and Shola. It was never going to last once we were promoted, the idea that he might still be here and in some way would improve our squad is wrong.

Oh my good God, what is with the obsession with hating Beckham and him being a publicity whore?! Who cares, the man is making a shed load of money for many charities, he gets a shed load of publicity for doing so, aaaaaaand!? Why do you care so much… he makes loads of publicity which makes him loads of money which means he can give more to charity… are you against givung money to charity? Are you against a bloke making some publicity? Are you against a blok earning loads of money honestly? Or are you just jealous…

TS…And the thing is many people look up to David Beckham, whether you agree or not, they do. He does set a great example by doing good, whether he gains from it or not is somewhat irrelevant as far as I’m concerned, he generates interest in things that may not be out their in the public domain otherwise.

.Each Summer I kick around with an old friend of Macca’s …He lives in Florida ..And when he’s here each Summer, every year, and we talk, I do get the Nitty Gritty and all kinds And I can remember us talking about Macca, and Charity, and autograph’s and a million other things . Including what a certain lady was like in bed…(you will all know her ) we discuss many things ! ..like you do .So Saying that.. I’m telling you its not common . Knowledge, and you missed the fact I might have inside info ? That’s fair Play I suppose. No harm done.

My Point about the Beckhams is it’s the Beckhams that come first ..they ride the publicity wagon in all sorts of ways ..This is just one of them. They could have donated ..and not mentioned it .. Right, I am really vooking bored now with this Blog, I’m going awol. To all you spook’s that don’t agree with me ..I dont give 2 Fook’s .. PHhhsssstttt!

Online guy,
Dont you think that a guy who has enjoyed success might everywhere he’s been might not be joining PSG, for a crack at his third different countries Championsip and one last crack at the CL in a great team with a top manager and for the record he says his missus and the kids are staying in London.
Although I do find his motives for publicly announcing his wages are going to charity a bit dubious.

.Each Summer I kick around with an old Friend of Macca’s …He lives in Florida ..And when he’s here each Summer, every year, and we talk, I do get the Nitty Gritty and all kinds And I can remember us talking about Macca, and Charity, and autograph’s and a million other things . Including what a certain lady was like in bed…(you will all know her ) we discuss many things ! ..like you do .So Saying that.. I’m telling you its not common . Knowledge, and you missed the fact I might have inside info ? That’s fair Play I suppose. No harm done.

My Point about the Beckhams is it’s the Beckhams that come first ..they ride the publicity wagon in all sorts of ways ..This is just one of them. They could have donated ..and not mentioned it .. Right, I am really vooking bored now with this Blog, I’m going awol. To all you spook’s that don’t agree with me ..I dont give 2 vook’s .. PHhhsssstttt!

Whether he says it himself or not is irrelevant. It is publicised by either his people or the charity, either way it helps make him liked by the public and therefore will make more people give his music time and it benefits him. It’s very common knowledge McCartney does charity work. Every man and his dog knows it.

Beckham has never been in trouble, always worked hard at his game, been a loyal player for his country, set up various trusts and charities and also given a lot of his time to charities. If that’s a guy you don’t like then I don’t know what please you.

Norcal – what makes you think that a midfielders job is to win headers off a Centre Forward, a centre back is there to deal with Benteke, the most ridiculous thing i have ever witnessed on here is the acceptance that Shola also did a great job marking Benteke, my God is this lad the new Ibrahimavic or Something. Shola was on to hold the ball up, he couldnt do it as our long hoofs went nowhere near his 1 yard standing circle.

The point is if we play our best technical players and keep the ball better then we dont have to continually defend our 6 yard box. F#cking idiots on here.

Next time we play Villa we could pick Willo, Saylor, Perch, Shola, Ranger, Perch, Collo, Dummett, Mbiwa, Willo, Saylor and Shola and Gutti, and maybe we could say they all did a good job because they blocked some shots and won some headers off the global superstar Benteke. Clueless, totally clueless.

I have included Perch,Willo and Shola twice as they would clearly be brilliant at the job. Thought a centre forward was supposed to score goals.

Like Beckham or not, can anyone honestly think of a player so passionate for England in recent years.
All we hear nowadays is that players have so much money they don’t care for much when it comes to England. Have to say Beckham broke the mould with that one and still would if he was selected so I say fair play to him no matter how much money he has got.

Think Chelsea are there for the taking Saturday, and really feel a storming performance is coming

I understand that’s why you said perch played, and I give you he is better than Anita in the air, but benteke beat all our players, even te CBs to the ball all night.

I would rather have seen Anita on their but in fairness I think perch played well so I’m not too bothered about it.

If there is logic to a strange decision then that’s fine by me, there was logic from pardew, so even if I wouldn’t have done the same I have no problem with him making that call as it was a clear plan and not just “picking a favourite” as he is accused off often

Yes, you do hear snippets about Macca from others over the years ..I get to know a few other things that dont make the press or become common …

Good for Beckham giving or re-directing funds to Charity ..nothing wrong with that ..but the fact that the initial planning that goes into it to promote the Beckham’s and make a charity the vehicle on which they can ride on the back of.. for that publicity, that keeps the Beckham’s up there on the A-list, seems a little sinister to me

Most people do charity events for themselves or ego first and foremost, i.e firewalks, parachute jumps and the likes. Fare play to Beckham and a welcome bit of publicty in the face of all the usual publicty that comes about players plying their trade in the beautiful game.

The point I was making earlier though was that Villa would never have outclassed Cabaye and Sissoko in the midfield, so we didn’t need Anita’s technical abilities, and we saw that very clearly in the first half. Yet still people want to slate Pardew for it.

Putting Anita in as a CDM would have invited Villa to play toward’s Benteke. Perch is obviously the better match up in size and strength. We already know Anita for all his effort, can get bossed off the ball easily. Yet again some people here ignore that for the sake of winning an argument.

Having a 6’1” DM on Benteke was a much better deterrent, and Villa attempted to play less direct instead.

You can’t win with some people! Perch did his job, we won the game! They are all arm chair managers, play fifa and football manager and think that they could manage a football team! Most couldn’t manage at Sunday league level!

I agree with you. I don’t mind perch for that reason. He struggled later as benteke outclassed him but he made him work more than Anita would have in the air.

I don’t think we are good enough like say barca or real to pick a team and not worry about the opposition. We aren’t a perfect team so we sometimes need to alter our game plan to go against the oppositions strengths which I think we often do well.

Although sometimes we take it too far at sacrifice too much of our own game.

One last comment on Beckham..I met him during a European/South American Youth Football tournament (Brazil National side took part)..Yonks ago… He was only 16 ish ..He seemed Jack the Lad even back then … I spoke to him .. Seemed a great Kid …Nothing against him at all ..The Publicity machine He find’s himself in And pay’s for.. is the way of the world I suppose ..

Beckham as a Footballer now though is a misnomer ..He will sell shirt’s…and do a good job in a lower division ..but he’s way back in the betting now ..I just think signing for Paris SG is not for the purpose of becoming a serious player for them …It just smacks of a publicity stunt ..same as usual.

People knock Beckham as I did ,But I remember a friend of mine who was a Police officer in Newcastle and when Becks was playing for the manure.This friend of mine had visited Carrington training ground as part of a goodwill visit ( He was on a training course in Manchester)
He ended up talking to Becks about charities.He does a lot for charity too ,Becks give him his number and said if you want anything to help your charity just ring me .Anyway months later after a quick ring to him he asked him to send some signed photos for an event in Hebburn..He only turned up without notice and stayed 2hrs ……..My view has changed since ..Model professional and top man

In honor of two dedicated Newcastle fans, who lost their lives supporting Newcastle United, when their passenger jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday July 17th, 2014 by rebels, as they were traveling to support the team in New Zealand.

We will never forget them.

Fantasy League

Mark Harding has again set up the Fantasy League for our readers for this season.

The new code is 3641-1656 and people can set up the league here:

http://fantasy.premierleague.com

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Health Update - 4 Feb, 2015

I had another battery of medical tests early last week, and the results show my PSA count as undetectable, which means the prostate cancer is still under control, and there is no trace of cancer in the body.

I'm very pleased about that!

Ed Harrison

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What Is A Football Club?

“What is a club in any case?"

“Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.

It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes."

“It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city."

“It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”